The Rensselaer police officers were suspended because they knew the matter was being investigated by officers in nearby Troy and failed to own up to their involvement in the animal’s killing, the Albany Times-Union reports.

"They failed to report it. So they're being given a 30-day suspension without pay," said Mayor Dan Dwyer.

Witnesses told investigating officers that two cops chased the woodchuck around in a golf cart until it became exhausted. The pair then allegedly ran it over, AP reports.

The incident, dubbed the “woodchuck homicide” case by the Albany Times-Union, occurred during a police union golf outing in Troy on July 29.

Local police said there isn’t much to charge officers Tyler Sammon and Mark Spath. However, Rick Fusco, chief of police for Rensselaer, said an internal investigation is continuing, and that he will push to fire both officers if the investigation finds them guilty.

The incident prompted tweeters to draw comparisons with the recent spate of police shootings in the US.

If only that woodchuck was "resisting" and was wearing a hoodie, this all could have been swept under the rug. https://t.co/bO1pjIgSWk